Thread cutter for weft replenishing looms



Jan. 4, 1949. R. G. TURNER 2,457,953

THREAD CUTTER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed April 2; 1947 INVENTORRICHARD -e. TURNER ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 4, 1949 THREAD CUTTER. FOR,WEFT REPLENISH- mo. LOOMS Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass., assignorto Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation ofMassachusetts Application April 2, 1947, Serial No. 738,884

This invention relates to improvements in thread cutters for weftreplenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention toprovide a cutter controlled by the bobbin transfer mechanism.

A type of weft replenshing loom which has gone into common use employs athread cutter operatingadjacent to the shuttle eye to sever the threadof the' outgoing bobbin at the time of replenishment. One form of thiscutter utilizes a plate on the shuttle, and a spring stressed leverhaving a cutter blade which moves rearwardly against the plate undercontrol of the transferrer arm when the latter has a transferringoperation. Such a cutter is shown in prior patent to Payne No.1,881,920, issued October 11, 1932. In another form a scissor typecutter on the lever is projected rearwardly into a cavity in theshuttle, as shown in my prior Patents Nos. 2,226,290 issued December 24,1940 and 2,398,264 issued April 9, 1946. In

both forms of cutter the lever has an arm which is held against a parton the transferrer arm, and when the latter operates the part movesforwardly to enable the spring to rock the lever in a direction to movethe cutter rearwardly. The rate of rearward movement of the cutter istherefore proportional to the rate of movement of the transferrer arm.

The transferrer arm is operated by the lay and its motion decelerates asthe lay approaches front center. It is at this time that the cuttermoves rearwardly, but because of the retarding motion of the lay thecutter moves too slowly for satisfactory cutting of certain kinds ofyarn. It is an important object of the first feature of the presentinvention to control a cutter of the general type referred to in suchmanner that its rate of rearward movement toward the shuttle will befaster than that which has been possible heretofore.

It is another object of the invention to provide means operated by thetransferrer arm which will positively move the aforesaid lever at thestart of its motion. This second feature of the invention overcomes theinertia of the lever and effects prompt rearward motion of the cutter.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein the invention is illustrated asapplied to cutter mechanism of the type shown in the Payne patent,

Fig. 1 is a plan view partly in section of part of a weft replenishingloom having the invention ap- 10 Claims. ((31. 139-263) 2 plied theretoand showing the parts in the position they assume at the instant ofcontact between the cutter and the plate on the advancing shuttle,

Fig. 2 is a detailed side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 2,Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2,

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating the cutter, itscontroller and the shuttle carried plate in various positions, and

Fig. 7 is a. vertical section on line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, the loom frame lll supports a weft replenishingmechanism not shown in. detail but having a foot I I bolted to thebreast beam I2 on the loom frame. Extending upwardly from the foot II isa support l3 on which is mounted a horizontal transfer stud l4. Thelatter has piv- V otally mounted thereon the hub l5 of a transferrerarrn IE which extends rearwardly and overhangs the shuttle S as at H.

Depending from the transferrer arm are fingers 20 between which is alatch holder 2i pivoted on a stud 22 carried by the fingers. Thetransferrer latch 23 is secured to the holder and is normally in thedown position shown in Fig. 2, but is raised to engage a hunter 24 onthe lay 25 on replenishing beats of the loom. The lay reciprocatesbackwardly and forwardly in usual manner and as it approaches frontcenter position on replenishing beats of the loom thebunter engages thelatch 23 to rock the transferrer arm in a clockwise direction as viewedin Fig. 2, thereby moving the fingers 20 forwardly.

The shuttle is provided with a bobbin B having a weft thread W whichleads to the right as viewed in Fig. 1 through a shuttle eye E and thento the left along the front wall of the shuttle to the selvage of thefabric F. The front wall of the shuttle is provided with a cutter plate26 across which the weft extends, and a binder 21 provided with anopening 28 which registers with the plate when the shuttle is boxed asshown in Fig. l is mounted on the lay in the usual manner.

The transfer stud l4 has secured thereto an arm 39 by means of which avertical stem 3i may be held in adjusted position by a set screw 32. Thelower end of the stem has a head 391:0 one end of which is secured atorsion spring 34. A lever 35 is rotatable on the lower end of the stem3| and is engaged by the other end of spring- 34. The lower end of stem3| has a pin 38 or other similar means for supporting the lever 35. Thespring tends to turn lever 35 counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1.

The lever has a right hand arm 40 to which is adjustably secured ahorizontal rod 4| the rear end of which is provided with a cutter blade42. The left hand arm 45 of the lever is held by spring 34 in engagementwith a controller or placer 46 secured to one of the fingers 26 of thetransferrer arm.

The transferrer arm is normally raised and the controller 46 is in itsrearmost position, thereby holding the lever 35 with cutter blade 42 inits normal forward position. When a transfer operation occurs controller46 moves forwardly, thereby permitting spring 34 to rock lever 35 in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 to move the blade 42rearwardly through the opening 28 against the plate 26. i

The matter thus far described except the mounting for stem 3|, may besubstantially as shown in the previously mentioned Payne patent. In thuse of the cutter thus far described it is common practice to have theblade 42 as near the plate 26 as possible when the lay is on frontcenter position on non-transferring operations of the loom. With such asettingthe blade is able to have maximum rearward movement into the pathof the advancing shuttle and engage the play while the lay is stillbehind front center.

The control for lever 35 as heretofore made does.

not permit the cutter blade 42 to move rearwardly either at asufficiently fast rate to effect cutting of all types of yarns, oreffect cutting early enough in the advance motion of the lay to permitthe outgoing bobbin to pull the weft thread W out of eye E.

In carrying the present invention into effect I modify the controller orplacer 46 in such manner as to permit the blade 42 to move rearwardlythrough a greater distance and also at a faster rate than has beenpossible heretofore. This result is accomplished by providing the member46 with an oblique surface 50 which is inclined forwardly and to theright as viewed in Fig. 1, or toward some point in front of the pivotedaxis of lever 35. Placer 46 may have a surface parallel to the stud l4and normally engaging the preferably rounded end 52 of arm 45, see Fig.4. The surfaces 50 and 5| are forward of and displaced laterally to theleft of stem 3|, and as the control member 46 moves forwardly the leverend 52 will leave the surface 5| and slide forwardly and along surface50, see Fig. 5, thereby permitting the cutter blade 42 tomove rearwardlyat a faster rate than would be possible without the oblique surface 50,and also to a position rearward of that which the blade might otherwiseocccupy except for the surface 50. When the blade and plat engage eachother as shown in Fig. 1, the weft thread W will be cut, and continuedforward movement of the lay will cause plate 26 to rock lever 35clockwise as the member 46 continues its forward movement. At frontcenter the parts will be as shown in Fig, 6, lever end 52 being rearwardof the controller 46. When plate 26 and controller 46 move rearwardly,lever 35 will rock counter-clockwise until its rounded end 52 engagessurface 50, after which continued rearward motion of controller 46 willrestore the parts to normal position.

When a cuttter controller is made according to the present invention itis found that the blade 42 strikes the plate 26 at an earlier time inthe forward beat of the lay then ha been possible heretofore, and alsomoves at a rate greater than that existing in former constructions. Itwill be apparent that the rate at which the cutter blade 4 42 can moverearwardly is dependent upon two factors one of which is the rate offorward movement of controller 46 as determined by the lay, and thesecond of which is determined by the incline 50.

The second feature of the invention provides means for causing promptrocking of lever 35 independently of spring 34 as soon as thetransferrer arm begins to move forwardly. The controller 46 is providedwith a rear arm or finger 55 having a surface 56 extending along therear part of a pocket 51 which receives the rounded end.52 of lever arm45. When the controller 46 is moved forwardly surface 56 positivelycauses forward movement of lever arm 45, thereby overcoming the inertiaof the lever. As the controller advances the lever rocks to move therounded.

will enter'the pocket to reestablish normal position of the parts.

While the invention has been described primarily in connection 'withcutter mechanism of the type set forth in the aforesaid Payne patent, i

it is not necessarily thus limited, and can be advantageously used withcutter mechanisms such as set forth in my previously mentioned patents.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the first feature of theinvention provides simple means for controlling lever 35 in such mannerthat the rate of backward movement of the cutter blade 42 is determinedby two factors one of which is derived from the retarding rate of thelay and the other of which is due to inclined surface 50. These twofactors effect a greater amount of motion and a faster rate of movementthan can be obtained in similar mechanisms as made heretofore. Theearlier cutting .enables the outgoing bobbin to remove that part of itsweft end which extends from the plate 26 through the shuttle eye, andthe faster rate of cutting insures successful operation with a widevariety of wefts. It will also be seen that the second feature of theinvention positively initiates a rocking movement of lever 35 as soon ascontroller 46 starts to move forwardly, thus overcoming the inertia ofthe lever and assisting the spring 34 to maintain arm 45 in contact withsurfaces 5| and 50.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a filling thread cutter for a weft replenishing loom, amembermoved forwardly by the lay during a weft replenishing operation ofthe loom, a lever having a cutter element thereon, a pivot for the leverbetween the cutter element and one end of the lever, means on the memberhaving a surface inclined forwardly and toward a point in front of saidpivot, and resilient means holding said one end of the lever againstsaid surface during forward movement of said member.

2. In a filling thread cutter for a weft replenising loom, a membermoved forwardly by the lay during a weft replenishing operation of theloom, a pivot forward of the lay, a lever on the pivot having a cutterelement on one side of the pivot and an arm on the opposite side of thepivot, means on the member having a surface inclined forwardly'andtoward -a point in front of the pivot, and resilient means holding saidarm against said surface during forward movement of the member to causeturning of the lever and rearward movement of said cutter element.

3. In a filling thread cutter for a weft repleni-shing loom, a membermoved forwardly by the lay during a weft replenshing operation of theloom, a pivot located in front of the lay and at one side of the path ofmovement of said member, a lever on said pivot having an arm extendingtoward said path and having a cutter element thereon on that side of thepivot opposite said member, means on the member formed with a surfaceinclined forwardly and toward a point in front of said pivot, andresilient means holding said arm against said surface during forwardmovement of the member and causing turning of the lever to effectrearward movement of the cutter element.

4. In a filling cutter mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a membermoved forwardly by the lay during a replenishing operation of the loom,a pivot located at one side of the path of movement of the member, alever on the pivot having a cutter element located thereon on that sideof the pivot opposite to the member and having an arm extending towardsaid path'of the member, resilient means urging the arm toward saidmember and causing said lever to turn to effect rearward movement of thecutter element as the member moves forwardly, and means on the memberhaving an inclined surface located forwardly of said pivot and engagingsaid arm and effective during forward movement of the member to enablethe resilient means to move the arm forwardly at instantaneous rates ofmotion greater than the corresponding instantaneous rates of motion ofthe member.

.5. In a filling thread cutter for a weft replenishing loom, a membermoved forwardly by the lay during a weft replenishing operation of theloom, a pivot located forwardly of the lay and at one side of the pathof movement of the member, a lever on said pivot having a cutter elementon the side of the pivot opposite the member, means on the memberpresenting a surface forward of the pivot and inclined forwardly andtoward a point in front of the pivot, an arm on said lever extendingtoward said member, and re- I silient means holding said arm againstsaid surface during forward movement of the member to eifect turning ofthe lever and rearward movement of the cutter element. I

6. In a filling thread cutter for a weft replenishing loom, a membermoved forwardly by the lay during a weft replenishing operation of theloom, a pivot forward of the lay and at one side of the-path of movementof said member, a lever on said pivot having a cutter element on oneside of the pivot and an arm on the opposite side of the pivot,resilient means holding said arm against the member, and means on thelatter behind said arm effective at the beginning of forward movement ofthe member to move said arm positively by a force derived from themember to overcome the inertia of the lever and assist the spring toturn the lever as said member moves forwardly.

7. In a filling thread cutter for a weft replenishing loom, a membermoved forwardly by the lay during a weft replenishing operation of theloom, a lever pivoted in front of the lay and having a cutter elementthereon and having an arm extending toward said member, resilient meansurging said arm forwardly against said member, and means on the memberbehind said arm effective at the beginning of forward movement of themember to move said arm positively by a force derived from the member toovercome the inertia of the lever.

8. In a filling thread cutter for a weft replenishing loom, a membermoved forwardly by the lay during a weft replenishing operation of theloom, means on the member defining a laterally opening pocket, a leverpivoted forwardly of the lay and having an arm normally located in saidpocket, a cutter element on said lever, said pocket being locatedforwardly of the pivotal axis of the lever, and resilient means urgingsaid arm forwardly, that part of the member behind the pocket operatingduring the first part of forward movement of the member to move thelever positively and said member during continued. forward movementthereof cooperating with said resilient means to effect movement of thelever in a direction to move said arm away from the back part of saidpocket, thereby enabling said arm to move rearwardly when the member isin the forward part of the movement thereof.

9, In a filling thread cutter for a weft replenishing loom, a membermoved forwardly by the lay during a weft replenishing operation of theloom, a pivot forward of the lay, a lever on said pivot having 'a-cutterelement thereon on one side of the pivot and having an arm on the otherside of the pivot extending toward said member, said lever during acutting operation occurring during forward movement of the lay on areplenishing beat rocking first in one direction to move the cutterrearwardly against a part carried by the lay and then rocking in theopposite direction as the cutter is moved forwardly by said part, meanson the member defining a pocket located forwardly of the pivot andreceiving the end of said arm, resilient means tending normally to movesaid arm forwardly against the forward part of said pocket, the rearpart of the pocket at the beginning of forward movement of the memberpositively moving the arm forwardly to rock said lever and move thecutter rearwardly, said end of the arm due to the location of the pivotand pocket moving laterally away from the pocket as the member continuesto move forwardly to clear said arm and enable said lever to move insaid opposite direction when the member is near the front limit of itsforward movement.

10. In a filling thread cutter for a weft replenishing loom, a membermoved forwardly by the lay during a weft replenishing operation of theloom, a pivot forward of the lay and located laterally of the path ofmovement of said mem ber, a lever on said pivot having a cutter elementthereon located on that side of the pivot opposite said path and havingan arm extending toward said path, means on said member providing alaterally opening pocket and a surface inclined forwardly from thepocket and toward a point in front of the pivot and located forwardly ofthe pocket, said arm being normally located in the pocket, resilientmeans tending to move the arm forwardly, said pivot and pocket beingsaid arm to move along said inclined surface as REFERENCES CITED themember continues to move forwardly to a A position laterally displacedfrom said pocket to The following references are of record in the enablethe cutter element to move rearwardly and file of this patent: y thenpermit forward movement of the cutter ele- 5 I ITED ment and rearwardmovement of the arm to a UN STATES PATENTS position rearward of thepocket when the mem- Number m Date her is in the front part of itsforward movement. 2,389,471 rn 1 Nov. 20, 1945 RICHARD G. TURNER.

